Nut lock



y 1939- F. PIERCE 2,157,672

NU: LOCK Filed May 2, 1938 Fig. 7

INVENTOR.

.[ESLIE f? PIER c5 BY QM ATTORNEY.

Patented May 9, 1939 UNETED STATES EATENT OFFICE 2 Claims.

My invention relates to a nut lock and has for its principal object alock that will be opened automatically by a wrench when applied to thenut.

A further object of my invention is to provide a lock for the nutagainst rotation, and being so made as to avoid serious detraction fromthe engineering capacity of both nut and bolt.

A still further object of my invention is to provide in the lockmechanism a latch that will easily penetrate the outer points of thebolt threads when driven thereagainst, and whereby the groove in thebolt may be eliminated, in which case, the nut may be turned a shortdis- "tance and locked independent of the groove.

A still further object of my invention is to provide a simple andefiicient means to rockably secure the latch in the wall of the nut,whereby the usual application of a pin at the fulcrum is eliminated.

A still further object of my invention is to provide a cantilever byaltering one end of the original latch to engage in the side of a plugas an alternate for the tooth and move the plug radially to and from thebolt, the inner end of the plug being reduced equalling the thickness ofits cantilever and arranged to embed in the bolt threads as well asengaging in a groove.

These and other objects will hereinafter be more fully explained,reference being had to the accompanying drawing forming a part of thisspecification, and in which like characters will apply to like parts inthe difier-ent views.

Referring to the drawing:

Fig. 1 is a side view of the bolt and nut, showing the grooves and alsothe latch.

Fig. 2 is a sectional view taken on line 2-2 in Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 shows the application of a socket wrench on the nut, partsremoved for convenience of illustration.

Fig. 4 is a view of the bifurcated plug as applied to the latch.

Fig. 4A is a sectional view taken on line 4A4A in Fig. l, the latch andnut fragmentarily shown.

Fig. 5 is an enlarged section-a1 view through the nut and a modificationof the latch.

Fig. 6 is an axial view of the nut taken on line 6% in Fig. 5, and endview of the bolt.

Fig. 7 is an inverted edge view of the latch showing the position of theleaf spring.

My invention herein disclosed consists of a nut l, threaded to engage ona bolt 2 as means to illustrate the device in detail. The nut in designis mechanically understood as a hexagon but the invention is notrestricted to such alone, as a rectangular or other polygonal forms willreceive the lock elements. In Fig. 1 is shown a slot 3, the majorportion of which partially extends through the wall of the nutintermediate of its ends as at A, while the minor portion thereofextends through the wall as at B, and in said slot is positioned a latch4 rockably arranged and having its fulcrum point as at C, and beingarcuate to seat in a depression coinciding therewith.

As a convenient and inexpensive means to secure the latch rockable inthe slot, I have arranged a bifurcated plug 5, the legs D of thebifurcation being spaced apart and in parallelism to receive said latchrockable therebetween. To install the latch and plug, I have reamed orbored a point in the slot as at E to receive the plug, fitting snuglywith its end slightly inward and being secured by an indenture that willoverlap the outer end of said plug as shown as at F in Fig. 1.

In Figs. 4 and 4A is shown the method of restricting the arcuate portionof the latch in its seat, which is accomplished by forming a point G inthe crotch of said plug upon which the arc of the latch will slidablyengage.

The latch element consists of a tooth portion H that is raised by alever I, the upper edge of which is arcuate in form so that when awrench is placed on the nut the jaw of said wrench will slide freelyover the lever, forcing it inward as disengaging means for the tooth.Secured to the under side of the lever portion is a leaf spring 1 asmeans to engage the tooth, causing it to seat in groove 8 that extendsthrough the series of threads longitudinally of the bolt, as shown inFigs. 1, 2, and 6, but not restricted for such engagement alone, as saidtooth portion may be forced inward from the points of the thread,forming a seat therein which will likewise lock the nut against rotationthe same as if the tooth were seated in the groove. It will beunderstood that the term groove implies that the threads are severed inalignment longitudinally of the bolt to form a series of confrontingshoulders. Note that the engaging end of said tooth has a concavity asat J, the radii of which are centered on the axis of the bolt, formingan edge at each side of the tooth, as at K, by which means the toothwill not be inclined to jump outward, but rather shear the metal in itsturn, if such were possible, and furthermore, being so arranged, the nutmay be properly tensioned regardless of the groove, and when sotensioned, the said tooth portion may be brought to engagement iii) asabove described by a stroke applied to the upper edge thereof by the useof a flat punch that will enter the slot of the nut.

In Figs. 5 and 6, I have entered a modification consisting of a plunger9, cylindrical in form and having an elongated eye I 0 extendingtherethrough to receive the end L of said latch that is formed to entersaid eye to move said plunger reciprocating in its respective bore 4 Iradially extending in the wall of the nut from its outer surface, andthe said plunger has a tooth, rectangular in cross section, as at M, andadapted to extend through a slot l2, communicating with the bore andbolt threads, as shown in Figs. 5 and 6. The point of said tooth isformed like that above described for tooth portion H shown in Fig. 4,and will function in like manner with respect to its engagement in agroove or embedded in the thread between said grooves as shown in Fig.6.

In either method of construction, attention is directed to the concavityof the tooth and the method of securing the latch in the slot of thenut, and also, the width of the grooves being narrow will not seriouslyinterfere with the durability oi the threads of standard bolts and nuts.

While I have shown the latch and its respective slot medially of the nutangles, I do not wish to be restricted, as the position of said elementsmay be in close proximity to or upon the angle of the nut, in which casea point engaging socket wrench will actuate the unlocking feature of thelatch, and such other modifications may be employed as lie within thescope of the appended claims.

Having fully described my invention what I claim as new and desire tosecure by Letters Patent is:

1. A nut lock of the character described adapted. to engage a slottedbolt, comprising a nut having a longitudinal slot formed in its wall andextending throughout the major length of the nut, the slot adjacent oneend passing entirely through the Wall, a cylindrical opening formed inthe wall in transverse vertical alignment with the slot, a plugpositioned in said opening, means for preventing displacement of theplug, a latch member arranged in the slot, means carried by the plug forproviding a pivotal fulcrum for the latch, one end of said latch adaptedto normally extend beyond the outer face of the nut, a spring for urgingthe extended end outwardly, the oppositely positioned end of the latchadapted to normally extend through said slot for engagement with theslotted bolt.

2. A nut lock of the character described adapted to engage a slottedbolt, comprising a nut having a longitudinal slot formed therein andextending for the major portion of the length of the nut, one extremityof the slot passing entirely through the nut transversely, a cylindricalopening formed in the nut transversely and intersecting said slot, abifurcated plug member positioned in said opening, means for preventingdisplacement of the plug, said plug having a fulcrum point formedtherein between said bifurcations, a latch member positioned in saidslot with one end normally extending beyond the side of the nut, saidlatch provided with a substantially centrally arranged circular pivotalportion, said pivotal portion adapted to engage the bottom wall of theslot and the fulcrum point of the plug, a spring for normally urging theextended end of the latch outwardly, the opposite end of said latchengaging the portion of the slot extending entirely through the nut,means operative in the extended portion of said slot and adapted toengage the slot of the said slotted bolt, said last named means movedinto and out of engagement with the bolt by said latch.

LESLIE F. PIERCE.

